Geneva:

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Monday that it is high time to reform outdated structures, fix systemic flaws and urgently make multilateral frameworks reflecting current global realities.

In his remarks at the 55th Session of the Human Rights Council via a video link from New Delhi, Mr Jaishankar also said that India’s approach to human rights is rooted in her democratic principles and pluralistic ethos. “It is in our collective interest and responsibility to work together in the UN and outside to find lasting solutions to geopolitical challenges,” he said.

“For this to happen, it is vital that we first recognise that for multilateralism to be credible, effective and responsive, it is now high time to reform outdated structures and fix systemic flaws and urgently make multilateral frameworks fit for purpose, reflecting current global realities,” Mr Jaishankar added.

He also reaffirmed India’s steadfast commitment to the global promotion and protection of human rights and their enjoyment by our people.

The minister said that India remains committed to working with council members and observers for the promotion and protection of all human rights.

“India’s approach to human rights is rooted in our democratic principles and pluralistic ethos. Our Constitution guarantees protection of civil and political rights and provides for progressive realisation of economic, social and cultural rights,” he said.

Talking about the upcoming general elections in India, the minister said that in a world where the principles of democracy are constantly tested, India stands as a beacon of hope and resilience, showcasing the power of the people to shape the collective future.

He said on India’s initiative, the African Union became a prominent member of the G20, adding that the G20 New Delhi leaders’ declaration put forth solutions on a range of domains such as digital public infrastructure, climate action reforming international financial institutions etc.

“As the world’s most populous nation and fifth largest economy, India always stands ready to share our experiences and expertise with those who wish to benefit from it,” he said.

Underling that the conflict in Gaza is of “great concern”, he said that the humanitarian crisis arising from conflicts required a sustainable solution that gives immediate relief to those most affected. “At the same time, we must be clear that terrorism and hostage-taking are unacceptable,” he added.

He said that international humanitarian law must always be respected.

“It is vital that the conflict does not spread within or beyond the region,” he said, adding that the efforts must also focus on seeking a two-state solution where Palestinian people can live within Israelis.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Thiruvananthapuram:

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that the resistance of the United Nations to reform its structure, will eventually lead to the body being “anachronistic” and people will start finding solutions outside.

The External Affairs Minister made the remarks in an address to students of the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology in Thiruvananthapuram today.

Addressing the event, Dr Jaishankar gave an “injudicious” reference of passengers sitting in a bus drawing a comparison with the permanent members of the UN Security Council.

“I somewhere injudiciously…described it like a passenger in a bus. A person sitting on the seat, will not vacate it for the next person. So there are these five guys sitting. Sometimes, you see such passengers, you see someone is tired, someone is carrying a baby, they will not get up and give up that seat,” he said.

He further said that the pressure to change has grown over the years on the UN, and the message needs to be understood by the global body.

“There has to be pressure. Over the last few years, a large part of the world feels this is something that needs to be done. There are 54 countries in Africa, but they don’t have a single member. There is not a single Latin American member. The most populous country is not there, the fifth largest economy is not there,” Dr Jaishankar said.

He added, “So how long would you continue that? What happens if you do not reform, people will find solutions outside. This is a message that the UN has to understand. They will become anachronistic, and develop the danger of heading towards not extinction, but a little bit of irrelevance”.

Notably, reforms in the global systems have been an issue continuously raised by India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the global stage.

During his concluding address at the G20 Leaders Summit here in the national capital, PM Modi reiterated his stance of making global systems in accordance with the “realities of the present” and took the example of the United Nations Security Council.

“When the UN was established, the world at that time was completely different from today. At that time there were 51 founding members in the UN. Today the number of countries included in the UN is around 200. Despite this, the permanent members in UNSC are still the same,” he said.

The Prime Minister said that a lot has changed in the world since that time, be it transport, communication, health, or education, every sector has been transformed.

“These new realities should be reflected in our new global structure. It is a law of nature that individuals and organizations that fail to adapt to changing times inevitably lose their relevance. We must think with an open mind as to what is the reason that many regional forums have come into existence in the past years, and they are also proving to be effective,” he further said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)